The recent attack on travelers along Abuja-Kaduna Road is really shocking, and the fact that those ‘terrorists’ could now detonate explosives before killing and kidnapping innocent people is damming and quite alarming, it says a lot about our security system.
It also sends a clear message to all and sundry that no one is safe, we are all in this mess together; the common people and the ‘elites’ alike. No system of transportation is safe in the country, one could now be attacked when traveling by road, railway, or even by air.
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The unfortunate train attack is not the first of its kind- and will seemingly not be the last unless the needful is done- the only difference is that this time around, unlike other attacks before, the ‘terrorists’ appear well-armed, more audacious with the hunger to kill; which shows their daunting strength.
Those terrorists have been attacking villages and killing people, especially in the northern part of the country, where such attacks have become the order of the day. They have established themselves as an authority with quite a number of villages under their control. Some of their brutal attacks and heinous crimes are actually underreported in the news media.
According to the Nigeria Security Tracker (NST) in a report published from January to February, at least 1, 761 people lost their lives across the country in incidents related to insecurity and protracted armed violence.
Under our noses, our beloved country- once a nation of peace and tranquillity, is gradually turning into the likes of Somalia, Libya, and Afghanistan or worse; the Nigeria of today has become a slaughterhouse and its citizens turned into walking corpses.
Furthermore, the security forces should be well equipped with state-of-the-art weapons in order to take the war to the terrorists’ camp. They should also engage the public as people when trained can be utilized for such tasks as intelligence gathering, informant tracing, reporting suspicious activities and etcetera.
In conclusion, the people should also cooperate and work hand in hand with security forces and other relevant government agencies in every way legally possible in order to curtail the worsening insecurity crisis ravaging the country once and for all.
Our lives must matter as much we will continue to call this our homeland. We should not allow those ‘terrorists’ to take over our homes and continue to rule our lives in perpetual fear. If those in authority can not secure our lives, they should honorably step aside and let competent individuals take over the helm of affairs in the country. Enough is enough!
Najeeb Maigatari writes from Jigawa State
